2 Mets players who’ve already earned the qualifying offer, 1 toeing the line

Which Mets are already in line to receive a qualifying offer and who is close?

New York Mets v San Diego Padres
New York Mets v San Diego Padres | Orlando Ramirez/GettyImages
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Mets pitcher Sean Manaea will get a qualifying offer after turning down his player option

Sean Manaea actually has a player option for 2025. He’s going to turn it down. Then he’ll do the same when the Mets give him a qualifying offer. Over $20 million for one season of Manaea isn’t so outrageous after what he has given the Mets this season. A single year of commitment makes it even more tempting from a team standpoint.

Manaea has been a free agent twice already. He signed a one-year deal worth $10 million to play for the San Francisco Giants in 2023. Inflation helped him earn his current two-year deal worth $28 million despite not having a terrific season with the Giants.

There isn’t too much incentive for Manaea to accept the QO because of his age. He’ll pitch next season at 33. This offseason is the opportunity for him to gain a true multi-year deal with an overall value that exceeds the QO total. Would the Mets be ones to bite and sign him for two or three years? They’ve been incredibly cautious with long-term deals in the Steve Cohen era when it comes to starting pitchers.

The success of Manaea this season makes him a qualifying offer candidate while at the same time someone the Mets would probably move on from if he did turn it down. They were able to mold him well this season and release some ace-like qualities. What’s to stop them from doing the same with another free agent on a one-year deal?

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